08 August 2011

The Australian dollar has recently been very high against the American dollar, the UK pound and the euro.

It has been an opportunity to travel far and wide for Australians who may have had some savings to spare, or a low-interest loan, or even access to suitably extensive credit card accounts.

I am the sort of person who saves up to travel. It makes it by far the easiest option in the long-term, especially when the memories of a great journey can be experienced without any worries about post-holiday debts. And it is a true experience of freedom.

My most recent overseas travels were the first I completely arranged myself, without any sort of assistance from a travel agent. They were also the most enjoyable and smooth-running experiences I have ever had when away from home, even though I was quite anxious beforehand about using the Internet and faxes for all the bookings.

Payments were simple, too, with the assistance of the security measures put in place with the help of my local bank staff. I never needed to use an ATM anywhere, as those machines are always a risk given the prevalence of skimming.

It was also very nice to come back and find the house just as I left it. That was, by far, the most wonderful experience in the world.